2019-2020 NHL season thread

He has a no-trade clause. His contract actually isn't that bad. It drops to $5.5 mil next year.

Igor Shesterkin is the guy they have pegged as his heir, and he was tearing it up in the AHL after coming over from Russia this year. He had a European assignment clause, which gave him the right to go back to Russia whenever he wanted if he wasn't in the NHL, and the Rangers called him up a week ago and are carrying 3 goalies. It's now a tricky situation. They can't assign Georgiev without him clearning waivers. Supposedly (believe Elliotte commented on this recently) they are shopping Georgiev. But trading goalies in season can be tough and they may not get their price. So it will be interesting to see how it all resolves.

This is a tough trade deadline for the Rangers, in general. They put themselves into a cap bind with signing Panarin and Trouba. The buyout of Shattenkirk got them under, but that has a hangover effect moving forward. Chris Kreider is a free agent at the end of this year, and he's likely to get something in the neighborhood of 7 years, $7 mil a year. They can't afford that as they sit right now, even if they were inclined. I love Kreider, but that is a contract you will regret in three years. He's 29 and he has some hard minutes in his past. They will likely be selling at the deadline, even though they are somewhat in the mix for a playoff spot and Kreider should get them a first rounder, the way Hayes did.

They honestly don't need to keep stockpiling picks at this point, but they also need to manage the roster moving forward with regard to salaries. Ryan Strome has had a career revival and has gotten a ton of minutes playing beside Panarin this year, who has made him look really good. They have chemistry. Strome is a free agent at the end of the year, and I don't think the Rangers should pay him the increased salary he is earning right now. So they may be shopping him too. ... at least if they are smart. It will be interesting to see where they end up and what they do.

Lundqvist could be traded, but only if he agrees to waive the no trade. At this point, it would be a matter of how badly he wants a chance at a Stanley Cup. He's such a New York guy, though, that I don't think he's going anywhere. We'll see.

 

One I didn't mention, sorry, but it's my team. ... Is Tony DeAngelo. They played hardball with him before the season and he had no leverage except to sit out, so he is on a one-year $925K deal. But he's having a hell of a season and has turned himself into an offensive force for a defenseman. A few games ago he had a hat trick and 5 points in a game. Lord knows what kind of long-term contract he is playing himself into this season, but whatever it is, the Rangers as they sit are not going to be able to afford it. So he could get shopped, too. That one is tricky, because DeAngelo has had some issues in the past that were due to his lack of maturity, and even though he seems to be keeping it together now, I wonder about locking yourself into him. ... as talented as he is. Adam Fox has also been amazing in his rookie season, and is the same kind of player, so maybe they will decide to deal DeAngelo while his stock is high. They have two defensemen who they drafted in the first round, K'Andre Miller, who is at U Wisconsin and Nils Lundkist who is playing in Sweden, who will be ready in a year or two also, and both look really promising. So they have a lot of decisions to make in the next month or so.

 

One team that has hit the rumor mill is Colorado. A writer for the Denver paper wrote it. ... The Avs have the cap space and some assets to offer. ... But I just can't imagine it happening. I think the more likely trade is Georgiev if they can get their price, with Lundqvist finishing his career as a Ranger.

Teams I have seen mentioned on Georgiev are San Jose, Minnesota and Toronto, which can use a good back up. I also saw something about Tampa, a bit out there, but suggesting Kreider and Georgiev packaged together.